Library Card Sign-Up Month

The Worcester Public Library celebrates Library Card Sign-Up Month during the month of September! Families are invited to sign up for a card at one of our One City, One Library sites (Burncoat Prep, Goddard, Roosevelt, and Tatnuck Magnet). Stop by and get your free library card and see all the things it can do for you!

For one month only, the library will also be giving out free replacement library cards. If you have misplaced your library card and would like a new one just visit any branch during the month of September, and we will replace it free of charge.

The library will also host a monthly help-desk on the second Tuesday of the month. This month the help-desk will be open on Tuesday, September 12 from 2 to 4 p.m. in the lobby of the Main Library.

Today’s libraries are about more than books. They are creative educational spaces for learners from birth to high school, and for college students and adults. This annual observance occurs at the start of the school year to attract students, but is important for people of all ages.

Resources at the Worcester Public Library are available to anyone who has a library card. Students can turn to the library for materials, programs and knowledgeable library staff that support academic achievement, including book clubs, STEM related programs, and summer reading activities. During the 2016-17 school year, the Burncoat, Goddard, Roosevelt, and Tatnuck Magnet Branches held 2,285 class visits through its partnership with the Worcester Public Schools. These visits helped students access the library and the educational materials available right in their own schools.

Older students can access high-speed Internet, digital tools, and the opportunity to work with trained professionals on how to use them. Librarians provide guided training in digital media and help to grow digital literacy skills. Libraries also provide equity of access to digital tools and media, which has become increasingly important in high-poverty areas where patrons are less likely to have a computer or internet access in the home. Libraries are also a training ground for people of all ages to expand their knowledge and explore creative pursuits.

"Our library provides access and programs for students of all ages," said Geoffrey Dickinson, Head Librarian. "For preschool age children we offer early literacy and storytimes to encourage school readiness, for older children and teens we supplement education with hands-on programs and fun activities, and for nontraditional students we offer language and citizenship resources, resume help, and so much more. There’s really something for everyone, and it’s all free with a library card."

This year, crime fighting DC Super Heroes, the Teen Titans, will team up with the American Library Association to promote the value of a library card as Library Card Sign-up Month Honorary Chairs. As honorary chairs, DC’s Teen Titans will remind parents, caregivers and students that signing up for a library card is the first step towards academic achievement and lifelong learning.

Whether it’s homework help, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) programs, or family storytimes and game nights, a library card is a ticket to free educational resources and activities for students and their families. Library Card Sign-up Month is a time to bring attention to the supportive role libraries and librarians play in transforming lives and communities through education.

Throughout the course of the month, the library will host a number of activities, including Maker Mondays with the Learning Hub, a visit with New York Times bestselling author/illustrator and Worcester native Jarrett J. Krosoczka, a volunteer fair, Coding Club, cultural performances and much more.

For more information on how to sign up for a library card, visit the Worcester Public Library in person or online at mywpl.org.

For more information on Library Card Sign-Up Month please contact Linnea Sheldon, Community Relations and Communications Manager at 508-799-1654 or lsheldon@mywpl.org.

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